Method of and apparatus for removing air from the head spaces of filled cans



1944- J. M. BOYD ET AL 2,362,799

. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AIR FROM THE HEAD SPACES OF FILLED CANS Filed June 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 14, 1944. J YD AL 2,362,799

METHOD OF AND APP REMOVING AIR FROM THE D SPAC OF FILLED CANS F d June 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 14, 1944. J, M, BOYD ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AIR FROM THE HEAD SPACES OF FILLED CANS Filed June 25, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 y W am M E x 5 0 ZM Nov. 14, 1944. J. M. BOYD ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING AIR FROM THE HEAD SPACES 0F FILLED CANS Filed June 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nbv. 14, 1944.

J. M. BOYD ETAL 2,362,799 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING.AIR

FROM THE HEAD SPACES OF FILLED CANS Fil'ed June 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 14, 1944 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS roa REMOV- 'I'NG "AIR FROM 'THE HEAD SPACES OF FILLED CANS John=M. Boyd, La Verne E. Clifcorn, and Gordon T. Peterson,,Chicago, 111., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.,

. a corporation of. New York 1 Application June 25, 1943, Serial No. 492,298

12 Claims.

The inventionrelates-generally to the art'of closing cans=and primarily seeks to' provide a novel method of and apparatus for eliminating air-from thehead spaces in filled cans immediately prior to the closing and sealing of the cans.

.It is known in the art that -it isobjectionable inmany instances in the packaging of foodstufis and beverages to seal the-cans or other containers with any considerable amount-bf air in the head spaces thereof. It is als'o-known that by directing steam or-an inert gas into the containerhead spaces'the air can be displaced and replaced with thesteam'or'gas, and when 'steam is-usedand the containers are-promptly closed so as to trap steam therein, the subsequent cooling and condensing'of the trapped" steam produces a very desirable partial-vacuum in the container head spaces; Various methods and means have been employed in' displacing-the air from container head spaces'but thesehave been somewhat limited in eficiency because of the excessive amount of gas-'or steam necessary to be used'in attaining the desired'results 'and the-clouding of the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus-in cases in which steam is used as the air displacing medium. According to the present-invention a novel methed and a novel-apparatus are provided by the practice-'and'utilizationof which the air can be displaced from fllled'container head spaces without material'waste of steam or gas and without clouding of surrounding atmosphere with expelled surplusageof steam.

. According to the improved method the steam or gas is directed, in the form of a plurality of wide, widely separated ribbons, radially inwardly substantially. horizontally over the open top of a filled container so that said ribbons mutually oppose centrally over the container and are diverted down into the centerof the head space and then outwardly over the fill in. the head space to efficiently sweep 'outsubstantially all air therefrom, the wide. spaces intervening adjacent ribbons :greatly facilitating the outward flowof the air displacing medium over the container fill and out of the. container and. preventing the setting up of turbulentcountercurrents.

" The invention involving-themethodas aforesaid also comprehends the steps of holding an end closure for the container .horizontally and directly above the radially directed ribbons of the air displacing medium so that'the-under surface thereof will be swept bysaid medium, and lifting the container while the air is being displaced from the head-space thereof so as topickup the end line 1-1: on Figure 5.

- Figure 8 is an-.enlarged-detailed-planwiew of closure and close the container whil'e'the directing of the air displacing medium is in-zprogress.

An object of the invention is to 'providean apparatus of the character stated wherein'isineluded a containersupportingmeans, and' means for directing a plurality'of wide, widely separated ribbons of an air displacing fluid mediumradi'ally inwardly and substantially horizontally-over the open top'of the container-so that-said ribbons mutually oppose centrally over the containerand are diverted down into thecenter of the container head spaceand then outwardly over the'fill' in the container, the'rwide spaces intervening the ribbons providing freedom for-egress: of air "and the a air displacing fiuid 'from the' container head space without the setting up-of turbulent countercurrents.

- Another object of the invention isto'provide'an apparatus of the-character described in- -which the container supporting means constitutes a vertically movable pad a'nd'in which'there is-included a ring centered over a container on the pad'and means for supporting an end closure directly above the ribbonsiof Iairf displacing fluid so as to have its under surface swept thereby; said-pad serving to lift the. containeras the displacing of air therefrom iS 'iII progress'to cause the container with the air displaced from its head space and replaced with saidfluid to pickup-said-end closure and lift it into position for being engaged by seaming means or other closure securing-devices for effecting a sealing of the'c'ontainer.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view illustrating the invention embodied at the closing station in a'containerclosing machine, the section being taken on the line 2-'2 on Figure 3.

Figure 3 an enlarged fragmentary'plan'view illustrating the air'displacing equipment atthe closing station, parts belngbroken away-and in section.

v Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section taken on' the line 4-4 on'Figure 3.

Figure 5 isan enlarged. detailed plan view of the upper ring of thencentering ring structure.

Figure 6 is anedge viewof the ring shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross sectiontaken onthe the lower ring of the centering ring structure.

Figure 9 is an edge view of the ring illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical cross section taken on the line ill-4 0 on Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic plan View illustrating the manner in which the ribbons of the air displacing fluid are directed radially inwardly into mutual contact to be diverted by said contact into upwardly and downwardly directed columns aligned centrally over a container being treated.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic vertical cross sectional view illustrating the manner in which the ribbons of the air displacing fluid meet centrally of the ring structure and are diverted into upwardly and downwardly directed columns.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 11 and illustrate the manner in which the diverted air displacing fluid can pass radially outwardly in the wide spaces intervening the ribbon directing slots without setting up turbulent countercurrents during the driving out of air from the container head spaces.

Figure 14-is a view similar to Figure 12. and diagrammatically illustrates the function of driving out air from the head space of a container.

Figures 15 and 16 are views similar to Figures 11 and 13,illustrating amodified arrangement of the slots in which three equidistantly spaced slots are employed.

The apparatus herein disclosed preferably is employed in a closing machine so that the disthe type 'of single station closing machine shown in U. S. Letters Patent 1,307,888 issued to Warme on June 24, 1919.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed 5 generally designates a stationarily mounted centering plate in a single station closing machine, said plate being equipped with a cover or end closure receiving seatfi for receiving end closures one by one from any approved form of stack or end closure feeding means (not shown), said end closures being fed over ways 1 by any conventional form of feeding means (not shown) into centered relation over the closing station opening 8 provided in said plate. As is customary in machines of this type, containers which are to be treated by having the air displaced from the head spaces above the fill therein and then be closed in the machine are placed on a vertically reciprocable supporting pad [0 which is movable at'the proper time to lift the containers through the opening II in the centerin -ring structure provided at the closing station, said ring structure being equipped with a beveled or upwardly tapered surface [2 which is efiective 1n the manner well known to workers in the art in:

rounding up the flanged upper end portion of any container which may be slightly out of shape during the lifting of said container in the manner aforesaid. As each container is lifted in the manner stated the upper end thereof engages and picks up a cover or end closure l3 which is supported on the ring devices in the machine which in the present il-.

lustration comprise the conventional chuck l4 and seaming rolls [5.

The centering ring structure herein disclosed as an example of embodiment of the invention comprises a lower ring l6 which is illustrated in detail in Figures 8, 9 and 10, and an upper rin H which is illustrated in detail in Figures 5, 6 and '7.

The lower ring is provided with three arcuate lug or shoulder projections l8 which overlie and rest upon a supporting shoulder l9 formed on the centering or supporting plate 5. Between the lug or shoulder projections l8 are provided setbacks or clearances 20, one long clearance being provided as illustrated at the right in Figure 8, and two short clearances being provided as illustrated at the left in said Figure 8. The clearances or setbacks 20 communicate with a steam chamber structure in centered relation over the rising container and lifts said closure 2! formed in the plate 5 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and-3 of the drawings and with two wide, arcuate clearances 22 formed in said plate in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The lower ring I1 also is provided with four upstanding lugs 24 each having an upwardly directed flare surface 25 which is divided by an upstanding rib 26.

The upper ring I6 is provided with four recesses 21 in' the under surface thereof for receiving the upstanding lugs 24 of the lower ring, and the recesses 21 are extended radially outwardly as at 28 so that the outer extremities thereof will line up with the outer walls of the arcuate clearances 22 in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 4. Each-of the recesses 21 is provided at its under surface with a flare surface 29 disposed to overlie and cooperate with one of the flare surfaces. 25 of the upper plate and which is divided by a downwardly projecting rib 30 which engages the underlying rib 26 of the lower ring. Each engaging pair of ribs 26 and-3U cooperate in providing a continuous rib extending vertically intermediately of the side walls of each wide slot provided by the cooperation of the registering upper and lower flare surfaces 25 and 29, and these ribs will prevent engagement of the outwardly directed flange at the upper end of each container in the slots as the containers are lifted through the ring structure opening at the closing. station and will thereby prevent jamming and damaging of the container. It will be apparent by reference to Figures 3, 5, 7, 12 and 13 that the air displacing fluid directing slots which are designated S in the diagrammatic Figures 12 and 14 are inwardly flared, wide and equidistantly spaced.

The upper ring 11 is provided with a cover sup porting ledge 3| and cover guides 32 leading to the cover supporting seat provided bythe ledge 3|. This ring also includes a ledge 33 on which to receive the steam chamber closure plate 34. See Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. The plates [Band I! comprising the centering ring structure are secured together by screws 35, and the centering structure as a whole is secured by screws 36 to the supporting plate 5-. A cover plate 31 is secured over the cover guides 32 by screws 38,- and it will be observed by reference to Figuresl, 2

' and 3 that the ring plates I6 and H and the cover plate 31 are provided with registering openings through which the container 9 may belifted into cooperative relation with the closure securing devices as indicated in Figure 2.

A steam or inert gas supply line is indicated at 39, and this supply line is connected by a leg 40 with the stem chamber 2| and by another leg 4| and a duct 42 formed in the plate 5 with one of the arcuate clearances 22, thus providing a twopoint connection supply of air displacing fluid for delivery through the wide flared slots in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 11 through 14 of the drawings In the diagrammatic illustrations in the Figures 11 through 14 the radially inwardly directed ribbons of the air displacing steam or inert gas are indicated at R, and the flared, wide and equidistantly and widely spaced fluid delivery slots are designated S. The inwardly directed ribbons of the air displacing fluid meet centrally in the closing station opening and by their mutual contact are diverted upwardly and downwardly in two columns C, centered over a container supported on the pad I in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and 14, the manner of diverting the columns upwardly and downwardly being clearly illustrated in diagrammatic Figure 12. The wide spacing of the slots permits the air displacing fluid to pass radially outwardly intermediately of and beneath the slots in the manner clearly indicated in diagrammatic Figure 13, without obstructing the radially inwardly moving ribbons of fluid, thus preventing the setting up of 'turbulent countercurrents in and over the head spaces in a container being treated in the manner clearly illustrated in diagrammatic Figure 14. When-an end closure or cover is supported at the closing station in the manner illustrated in Figure 14-the air displacing fluid cannot be directed upwardl in a center column in the manner illustrated in Figure 12, but the ribbons of air displacing fluid sweep the bottom surface of the end closure; pass downwardly in a center column into the rising filled container indicated at Fin Figure 14 and then pass radially outwardly over the fill in said container in the manner indicated by dotted lines in Figure 14. The air is thus swept from the head space of the rising container in a very eflicient manner, substantially all air being displaced and a minimum of treating fluid such as steam or inert gas being used.

This manner of displacing the air from the head spaces incontainers is particularly advantageous when steam is used as the air displacing medium because the displacing of the air progresses coincidentally with the lifting of the container into engagement with the end closure centered thereover and continues approximately until the upper extremity of the container actually contacts the end closure and is closed thereby, as will be apparent by reference to Figure 14. By

-this particular timing, the time interval in which condensation of steam within the open head space and subsequent pulling in of air can occur is reduced to a minimum. The air displacing steam which is trapped in the container head space condenses after the container is sealed by operation of the seaming devices l5 and provides a partial vacuum in the container. The particular steam delivery slot arrangement herein disclosed materially reduces the amount of free steam escaping from the apparatus, which is very desirable from the standpoint of both the operator's comfort and economy. 'In order to additionally economize in the use of steam or inert gas, an automatically controlled valve of the type disclosed in the application of Herbert L. Minaker, Serial No. 350,930, filed August 3, 1940, may be employed for controlling the supply of the fluid so that fluid will be supplied only during the desired treating interval.

While it is preferred that four' equidistantly spaced slots 8 be provided, difierent. numbers of slots may be employed without distinguishing from the scope of. thelnvention, for example .three or five slots may be employed and equidistantly spaced about the ring structure.- The invention comprehends the employment of dilferent numbers of slots so long as wide enough spaces are provided intervening adjacent slots to provide for the free out-flowing of the treating fluid in the manner indicated in Figure 13, an example of such modified arrangements of slots is illustrated in Figures 15- and 16 in which three equidistantly spaced slots S are shown, the ribbons of air displacing steam or inert gas being'indicated at R.

The size of the individual slots may vary from a minimum of approximately-one-half inch to a maximum of one and one-half inch in width, and

the depth of the slots may vary from 0.010 of an inch to 0.025 ofan inch. These slots also may be made straight, but it ispreferred that they be flared in the manner indicated in the drawings at an angle of approximately 12 degrees because the flared slots permit better control of the fluid and result in greater elflciency in operation. The size of the slots will vary with the diameter of the containers forwhich the apparatus is designed.

It is of course-to be understood that the details of structure and the arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, and means providingat least three ports disposed in a common horizontal plane and in equi-distant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially-inwardly and horizontally in individual jets which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly intothe container and then outwardly over'the fill in the container, the wide spaces intervening-said'ports providing freedom for egressof air and the air displacing fluid from the container-head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space.

2. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, and means providing at least three wide slots disposed horizontally in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distanceabove the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual ribbons which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly into the container and then outwardly over the fill in the container, the wide spaces intervening said wide slots providing freedom for egress of air and the air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space.

3. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, means providing at least three ports disposed in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top'of a filled container on said supportingmeans for directing an air'displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual jets which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are-diverteddownwardlyinto the container and then outwardly over the flllin the container,

the wide spaces intervening said ports providing freedom for egress of air and the air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space, and means for supporting a container closure centrally over and close above said jets so that the jets will sweep the under surface of the closure, said supporting means being upwardly movable for lifting the container during the introduction of the air displacing fluid thereinto for first picking up the closure and then lifting the container and the closure thereon into cooperative relation with a closure securing means.

4. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, means providing at least three wide slots disposed horizontally in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual ribbons which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly thereinto and then outwardly over the fill in the container, the wide spaces intervening said wide slots providing freedom for egress of air and the air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space, and means for supporting a container closure centrally over and close above said ribbons so that the ribbons will sweep the under surface of the closure, said supporting means being upwardly movable for lifting the container during the introduction of the air displacing fluid thereinto for first picking up the closure and then lifting the container and the closure thereon into cooperative relation with a closure securing means.

5. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, means providing at least three wide slots disposed horizontally in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual ribbons which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly thereinto and then outwardly over the fill in the container, the wide spaces intervening said wide slots providing freedom for egress of air and the air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space, and means for supporting a container closure centrally over and close above said ribbons so that the ribbons will sweep the under surface of the closure, said supporting means being upwardly movable for lifting the container during the introduction of the air displacing fluid thereinto for first picking up the closure and then lifting the container and the closure thereon into cooperative relation with a closure securing means, said wide slot providing means comprising a centering ring having an opening therein including an upwardly tapered centering wall portion and through which the top of the container is lifted, said ring having clearances therein opening inwardly into said opening to form said slots.

6. In apparatus of the character described, means for supporting an open filled container, means providing at least three wide slots disposed horizontally in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual ribbons which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly thereinto and then outwardly over the fillin the container, the wide spaces intervening said wide slots providing freedom for egress of air and the air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space, and means for supporting a container closure centrally over and close above said ribbons so that the ribbons will sweep the under surface of the closure, said supporting means being upwardly movable for lifting the container during the introduction of the air displacing fluid thereinto for first picking up the closure and then lifting the container and the closure thereon into cooperative relation with a closure securing means, said wide slot providing means comprising a centering ring having an opening therein including an upwardly tapered centering wall portion and through which the top of the container is lifted, said ring having clearances therein opening inwardly into said opening to form said slots, and said slots being inwardly flared in the vertical plane.

7. In apparatus of the-character described, means for supporting an open filled container, means providing at least three wide slots disposed horizontally in a common horizontal plane and in equidistant widely spaced relation at a level a short distance above the open top of a filled container on said supporting means for directing an air displacing fluid medium radially inwardly and horizontally in individual ribbons which mutually contact centrally over said container and by said mutual contact are diverted downwardly thereinto and then outwardly over the fill in the container, the wide spaces intervening said wide slots providing freedom for egress of air and the ,air displacing fluid from the container head space without the setting up of turbulent counter currents of fluid in said head space, and means for supporting a container closure centrally over and close above said ribbons so that the ribbons will sweep the under surface of the closure,said supporting means being upwardly movable for lifting the container during the introduction of the air displacing fluid thereinto for first picking up the closure and then lifting the container and the closure thereon into cooperative relation with a closure securing means, said wide slot providing means comprising a centering ring having an opening therein including an up 'wardly tapered centering wall portion and through which the top of the container is lifted, said ring having clearances therein opening inwardly into said opening to form said slots, said slots beinginwardly flared in the vertical plane, and each said slot having a rib extending uprightly thereacross intermediately of its side extremities effective to prevent projection into the slots of edge portions of a container during lifting of the container top through said opening.

8. The herein described method of displacing air from the head space in a filled container which comprises directing an air displacing fluid in the form of at least three wide, widely separated jets radially inwardly and horizontally over the open top of the container so that said jets mutually contact centrally over the container and by said mutual contact are diverted down into the center of the head space and then outwardly over the fill in the container to sweep out substantially all air from the container head space.

9. The herein described method of displacing air from the head space in a filled container which comprises directing an air displacin fluid in. the form of at least three wide, widely separated horizontally disposed ribbons radially inwardly and horizontally over the open top of the container so that said jets mutually contact centrally over the container and by said mutual contact are diverted down into the center of the head space and then outwardly over the fill in the container to sweep out substantially all air from the container head space.

10. The herein described method of displacing air from the head space in a filled container which comprises directing an air displacing fluid in the form of at least three wide, widely separated jets radially inwardly and horizontally over the open-top of the container so that said jets mutually contact centrally over the container and by said mutual contact are diverted down into the center of the head space and then outwardly over the fill in the container to sweep out substantially all air from the container head space, holding a closure for the container horizontally and directly above the jets to stop upward diversion of the jets centrally over the container and to cause the fluid to sweep the under surface of said closure, and lifting the container while the air is being displaced from the head space thereof so as to .pick up the closure and close the container with substantially all air displaced from the head space and replaced with the displacing fluid.

11. The herein described method of displacing air from the head space in a filled container which comprises directing an air displacing fluid in the form of at least three wide, widely separated horizontally disposed ribbons radially inwardly and horizontally over the open top of the container so that said jets mutually contact centrally over the container and by said mutual contact are diverted down into the center of the head space and then outwardly over the fill in the container to sweep out substantially all air from the container head space, holding a closure for the container horizontally and directly above the ribbons to stop upward diversion of the ribbons centrally over the container and to cause the fluid to sweep the under surface of said closure, and lifting the container while the air is being displaced from the head space thereof so as to pick up the closure and close the container with substantially all air displaced from the head space and replaced with the displacing fluid.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a support for a filled open container, and an element disposed to one side of and at least in part on a higher level than the top of the container and having a longitudinal steam ejecting slot therein directed over the open top at a level just above said open top and being flared toward the center of the can and in the vertical plane.

JOHN M. BOYD. LA VERNE E. CLIFCORN. GORDON T. PETERSON. 

